January 2, 2005

Yala schools to remain shut

Violent situation `too volatile' to reopen

 By Muhamad Ayub Pathan

 All 266 schools in this southernmost province will remain closed until

violence declines, and not reopen on Jan 4 as earlier planned.

 The schools, closed since Dec 29, will not reopen until the situation

returns to normal, said the Yaha-Kabang teachers association in a statement.

 The statement said the situation remained so volatile that it was

impossible to say when the schools would again reopen.

 Their closure, agreed to by the Yala Teachers Federation and the executives

of Education Zone 1 and 2, was prompted by last week's fatal shooting of

Pratheep Supong of Ban Sakhor school in Muang district.

 All the teachers have been urged to keep themselves abreast of the

situation and remain in contact with school administrators and teachers'

associations.

 They have been told to be prepared to return to teach at any time.

 Teachers federation chairman Sanya Suwannapho said while children's

education is of utmost importance, safety was the top priority under current

circumstances.

 The Education Ministry has left it to schools to decide when it was safe to

resume classes.